Temperature-regulator.



F. A. KUNTZ.

TEMPERATURE REGULATOR. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 27 1913.

1, 104,680, Patented July 21, 1914 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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F. A. KUNTZ. TEMPERATURE REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.27,1913. 1,104,680.

Patented July 21, 1914.

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' r\ M Y/w 149/ 42 v I if [-4 1 I I 56 E: I" 19 8 E (15 {0 p as Z4- Wi/tweooe o 5 wua m/Coc m 33 an Z 2 FRANK A. KUNTZ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

'rnnrmarunn-nnsuna'roa Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J uly 21, 1914.

Application filed January 27, 1913. Serial 0. 744,375.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK A. KUNTZ, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of New York, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Temperature-Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for maintaining the temperature of fluids at a uniform degree, and particularly for maintaining a uniform temperature in apartments, dwellings, public halls, etc.

The principal object of my invention is to rovide simple, effective, reliable, and improved means for this purpose.

In carrying out the invention, a friction wheel is provided which is continuously rotated from the drive shaft of a blower that feeds air into the apartment through a hot and a cold duct. Friction-disks slidable in the direction of their axes are actuated by a solenoid in a circuit provided with a thermostat. located in the apartment, whereby one or the other of said disks is caused to engage with said wheel, and to be rotated thereby, by the making and breaking of said circuit. Said disks are mounted on a frame which is shiftable toward and away from said friction wheel, and a valve for closing and opening either of said ducts is connected to said frame. A screw carried with said frame is geared to said disks and engages with a fixed tapped portion, whereby said frame is shifted in one direction or reversed in an opposite direction and said frame set to close or open either of said ducts, according to whichever disk is in engagement with said wheel. Means are provided to disengage said disks from said wheel to stop the operation of said mecha-- nism when said valve is set. The diskaxes approach said wheel while it is in engagement with one of said disks and recede therefrom while in engagement with the other of said disks, so that said valve when set in one position is swung at an accelerating rate and when set to the other position is swung at a retarding rate, whereby quick commencement of admission of warm air and slow commencement of admission of cold air is effected. I

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

is a generalelevation of the valve operatmg mechanism. Fig. 2 is a general diagram of the electric circuit of the temperature regulator. Fig. 3 is a side view of Fig.1. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the hot and cold ducts, the arrangement of the blower, and the valve for the ducts in an apartment heating system, with which my invention is shown as adapted.

A duct 1, Fig. 4, conducts the air from the exterior of the apartment to the casing 2 where a blower 2 is located, and said blower sends the air into a cold duct 3 or a hot duct 4, depending upon which of said ducts is open, and into the duct 5 in the direction of the arrows, from where the air is directed into the apartment, the temperature of which it is desired to maintain at a uniform degree.

Upon the drive shaft 6, Figs. 1 and 4, of the blower 2 is mounted a worm 7, which drives the valve operating mechanism shown in Fig. 1, said mechanism being suitably supported in place. Said worm meshes with its wheel 8 keyed on a shaft 9 which rotates in a bearing 10 forming part of an upright support 11 extending from a horizontal base 12, and a friction wheel 13 is fixed on shaft 9 whereby it is continuously rotated by the operation of said blower. A frame 14 is provided with guide-channels 15 fitting on tracks 16, forming part of the base 12, which extend in the direction of the axis of friction-wheel 13, whereby the grame is slidable toward and away thererom.

Friction disks 17, 18, adaptable to bedriven by the wheel 13, are secured upon or form part of a hollow shaft or sleeve 19 which is mounted rotatably in a bearing 20 on frame 14 and is slidable longitudinally therein, the axis of sleeve 19 being perpendicular to the axis of the wheel 13. A pinion 21 secured upon sleeve 19 and driven therewith meshes with a gear 22 secured upon a rotatable intermediate shaft 23 running in bearings 24, 25 of frame 14, and a worm 26 fixed on shaft 23 meshes with a wheel 27 keyed upon a shaft 28. which is thereby rotated in its bearing 29 forming part of the frame 14. Said shaft carries a screw 30, preferably square-threaded, which engages with a cooperating tapped portion 31 of a hub. 32 forming part of the fixed sup- In the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 port 11, so that said screw threads inwardly the mechanism carried by the frame.

or outwardly and the frame with the mecha' nism carried thereupon are consequently shifted toward or away from the frictionwheel 13, depending upon thedirection of rotation of said screw, which in turn dewires 36, 3 that supply current to a motor 38 which drives the blower 2. A solenoid 39 in said circuit is secured to the frame 14 and the core 40 thereof passing through the frame at 14 has a portion 41 of a reduced diameter which extends within the sleeve 19.

the shoulder 42 and a screw 43 threading into the end of said core maintaining said sleeve in place longitudinally. Said core is normally pressed upon by a spring 44, fixed to the solenoid, which bears against pins 45 and forces the core and its depending parts outward.

.If the temperature of the apartment falls below a degree which it is desired to fnaintain, the thermostat closes the circuit as shown, and conducts the current from wire 36 along wire46, through the resistance 47 which reduces the current, along wire 48, the thermostat, wires 49, 50, and through the solenoid 39, which isthereby energized. The solenoid-core is therefore drawn in and the disk 18 thuscaused to bear against the friction-wheel 13, which being driven continually rotates said disk and operates the mechanism whereby the frame 14 is shifted away from said wheel, and [the valve 34 is thereby set to the position shown in Fig. 4. The air is thereupon directed by the blower 2 into the duct 4, which having a source of heat 51 feeds warm air to the apartment, and raising the temperature therem restores it to the desired degree.

Wl1en the temperature of the apartment I'lSeS above a certain desired degree, the thermostat 35 breaks the circuit, as indicated by the dot and dash lines, and the solenoid 39 is deenergiz ed. In this case, the

the temperature therein restores it to the de- 65 v spring 44 causes the disk 17 to bear against the friction wheel 13 and. to be rotated thereby, so that the mechanism is reversed. the frame 14 shifted toward said wheel, and

,. the valve 34 thus swung and set to its opposite position, shown by the dot and dash lines. Thehot duct 4 being thus closed, the cold air is directed by the blower 2 into the apartment through the duct 3, and lowering sired degree.

to the support 11 at and having The high speed from the blower shaft 6 is greatly reduced through the mechanism, by the worm 7 and wheel 8, friction wheel 13 and disk 17 or 18, pinion 21 and gear 22, worm 26 and wheel 27 and the screw 30, so that the valve 34 is gradually swung when set to its aforesaid positions; it being deemed better to 'efiect the change gradually from the admission of hot to cold air and vice versa The rate of swinging of said valve may be altered, if desired, by changing the gears 21 and 22.

It will be noted that when the disk 17 engageswith the wheel 13 to admit cold air to the apartment, the sleeve 19, being carried by the frame 14, advances toward said wheel, while when the disk 18 engages with said wheel to admit warm air said sleeve recedes from said wheel. This causes the mechanism to operate at an accelerating rate when the disk 17 is in engagementwith wheel 13 to swing the valve 34 to admit cold air, due to the continual decrease of the relative diameter of said disk, and -to operate at a retarding rate when the disk 18 is in engagement to swing said valve to admit warm air. The valve 34 is' thereby swung very slowly at the commencement of opening of duct 3 for feeding cold air, and is swung rapidly at the commencement of opening of duct 4 for feeding warm air. This action'is advantageous, inasmuch as it is desired to commence quickly the admission of warm air into the apartment when it is required, and to commence the admission of cold air more slowly for restoring the uniform temperature.

When the frame 14 reaches the end of its stroke in either direction and sets the valve 34 to either of its aforesaid positions, the operation of the mechanism is stopped by the disengagement of the engaging disk from the friction wheel 13. In the case of disk 17, the edge 52 thereof strikes against a beveled cam-piece 53, secured to support 11 at 53, which bears against the diskcontrary to the pressure of spring 44, and thus disengages it from the wheel.13. When the frame 14 reaches the opposite end of its stroke, shown in Fig. 1, an arm 54, secured end 56, strikes the end 57 of a lever 58 fulcrumed at 59 upon a bracket 60 extending from frame 14, and forces the opposite end 61 of the lever to bear against the disk 18 contrary to the pull of the solenoid, whereby it is disengaged from the wheel 13 and the mechanism stopped. A spring 62 fixed to the bracket 60 presses against the end 61 of said lever to normally maintain it away from the disk 18.

Suitable material may be selected for the construction of the various parts .of the mechanism.-

It will be evident from the foregoing that a bent amuse source of heat in wintertime, it may be also similarly used. with cooling means in. sum mertime. The invention mav' be also used.

in connection with the regulation of the tom pcrature of air chambers or of any fluid which it is desired to maintain at a uniform degree, in the various arts or manufacturing processes.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvementsmay be used Without others.

Having thus described my invention, l claim- L The combination with a valve for admitting and shutting off fluid for maintain ing uniform temperature, of a circuit having thermostatic means to make and break the circuit, and mechanism being operated by means in said circuit to set said valve in one position when-said circuit broken and to reverse itself when said circuit is closed to set said valve in: its: opposite position, said mechanism being adaptable to be driven at an accelerating-- rate when said valve is being set to one positionand at a retarding rate when being set to its opposite position.

2. The combination with a valve for ad initting and shutting off fluid for maintaining uniform temperature, of a circuit having thermostatic means to make and break the circuit, a continuously driven shaft in the same direction at a uniform speed, and mechanism driven thereby being operated by means in said circuit to set said valve in one position when said circuit is broken and to reverse itself when said circuit is closed to set said valve its opposite position, said mechanism having means to set said valve at an accelerating rate to one position and at a. retarding rate to its opposite tion. 3. The combination with a valve gradually admitting and shutting off hot and cold air, of a circuit having thermostatic means to make and break the circuit, and mechanism be' operated by means in said circuit to set sai valve in one position when the circuit is broken and to. reverse itself when said circuit is closed to set said valve its opposite position, said mechanism adaptable to set said valve at a retarding tion; said mechanism including a continuously driven friction. wheel, and a pair of friction-disks being actuated by said operating means to engage one or the other of said disks with said wheel to operate the mechanism in opposite directions;

5. The combination with a valve for ad mitting and shutting off fluid for maintain ing uniform temperature, of a circuit havin gxthermostutic means to make and break the circuit, a shaft driven continuously in the same direction, and mechanism, driven thereby being operated by means in said circuit to set said valve in one position whenthe circuit is broken and to reverseitself when said circuit is closed to set said valve in its opposite position; said mechanism ineluding a shiftable frame, said valve con nected to said frame, and means actuated by said operating means to shiftsaid frame in opposite directions to open .and close said valve.

6. The combination with a valve for. admitting and shutting oif fluid for maintaining umform temperature, of a circuit having thermostatic Inca-11s to make and break the circuit, a shaft driven continuously 1n the same direction, and mechanism driven thereby being operated by means in said circuit to set said valve in one position when said circuit is broken and to reverse itself when said circuit is closed to set said k tions.

'1. The combination with a valve for admitting and shutting ofi fluid tor maintaining uniform temperature, of mechanism including a continuously drivenwhccl, a shiftable frame, said valve thereto, shiftable wheels onsaid frame adaptable to engage one or the other thereof with said other wheel, an actuating shaft for said frame geared to said shiftable wheels for shifting said frame to actuate said valve, and means to set one or the other of said shiftable wheels into engagement with said former wheel for operating the mechanism in opposite directions to open or close said valve.

8'. The combination with a hot and cold duct, and a valve for shutting and opening said hot and-cold duct, of a circuit having thermomstic means to make and break the circuit, a motor running continuously in the same direction, mechanism driven thereby for operating said valve, a magnetizing coil energized by said circuit driving said mechanism in one direction to. operate it to set said valve in one position, and a spring actuating said mechanism to be driven in an opposite direction to set said valve in its opposite positionp 9. The combination with a valve for ad mitting and shutting off fluid for maintaining uniform temperature, a circuit, and means to make and break said circuit, of a continuously driven shaft in the same direction, and mechanism driven thereby setting said valve in one position when said circuit is broken and reversing itself when said circuit is closed to set said valve in its opposite position; said mechanism including a con tinuously driven frictionwheel, a pair of friction-disks actuated by the making and breaking of said circuit to engage one or the other of said disks with said wheel to operate the anechanism in opposite directions, and means to disengage said disks from said wheel for stopping the operation of said mechanism when said valve has been set to either of its positions.

10'; The combination with a valve for admitting and shutting off fluid for maintaining uniform temperature, acircuit, and means to make and break said circuit, of a continuously driven shaft in the same direction, and mechanism driven thereby setting said valve in one position when said circuit is broken and reversing itself when said circui't'is closed toset'said valve in its opposite-position; said mechanism including a continuously driven friction Wheel, and a pair of spring-pressed friction-disks actuated'to'engage one of its disks with said wheel'toioperate the mechanism in'one direction when-the circuit is broken and to engage theiother disk to reverse said direction of operation when the circuit is closed.

11. The combination with a valve for admit-ting and shutting off-fluidfor.ma-intaining uniform temperature, a circuit, and means to make and break said circuit, of a continuously driven shaft in the same direction,tand mechanism driven thereby setting said valve in-one position when said circuit is Ibroken and reversing-itselfwhen said circuit is closed to set said valve in its opposite position; said mechanism includ ing a continuously driven friction wheel, a pair of spring-pressed friction-disks actuated to engage one of its disks with said wheel to operate the mechanism in one direction when the circuit'is broken and to-engage the other disk to reverse said direction of operation when the circuit is closed, aibeveled cam' to press against one of said disks to disengage it from said wheel for stopping sa-id mechanism when said valve is set, and a lever to press against said other disk to similarly disengage it. 7 12. The combination with a valve for admitting and shutting off fluid,"-of a circuit having thermostatic means togmake; and

break'the circuit, a motor running continuously in the same direction, mechanism driven thereby. for operating said valve, a magnetizingcoil energized by said circuit operating said mechanism to set said valve in one position, a spring reversing said mechanism to'set said valve in its opposite position, and means for makin the pull of said energized coil and spring ineffective to stop the operation of said mechanism when said valve has been set to'either of -its positions.

13. The combination with a valve for admitting and shutting off fluid for maintaining uniform temperature, a circult, and means to vmake and break said-circuit, of a continuously driven shaft in the samevdirection, and mechanism driven thereby settingsaid valve in one position when said circuit is broken and reversing itself when-said circuit is closed to set said valve in its opposite position said .mechanism includinga shiftable frame,- said valve connected to said frame, means actuated by the making and breaking of said circuit to shift saidfram'e in opposite directions to open and close said valve, and means for 'stopping the movement of said frame when said valve-has been set'to either of its positions.

14. The combination with a=-valve for admitting and shutting off 'fluid'for maintaming :uniform temperature,. a; circuit, and means to make and' break said circuit,-. of a continuously driven shaft in the same direc: tion, and mechanism driven thereby setting saidwalveinone position When-said circuit is broken and reversin itself when said circuit is closed to set sai valve in its opposite position, said lmechanism',including a shift able frame, said valve connected to said frame; a tapped ';portion and a screw co operating therewith for shifting said frame, and means actuated by the makingand breaking of said circuit to cause said-screw and: 'tapped' portion to engage for shifting said .frame in. opposite directions to open and close saidvalve. ,1 "---1'15.. The'combination with a valve: for ad.- in'itting and shutting off fluid form'aintainr ing uniform temperature, a circuit,. and means to make and break said circuit, of mechanismhaving a drive shaft running continuously/in one direction, a friction wheel driven continuously thereby,v a frame shiftable toward and away from-said wheel, said valve connected thereto, friction-disks onsaid frame shiftable in direction of their axes, an intermediate shafton' said frame geared to said disks, an actuating shaft for said" framedriven' by .said' intermediate shaft, and a tapped portion and screw;.being engaged by'said' actuating shaft to shift said frame in opposite-.- directions .to actuate said valve; saiddis'ks' being set by the making "iand 'breaki Jof saidJ-circuit to engage one or the tpther thereof :-with said whe'el for and l moaeeo 16. The combination with a valve for admitting and shutting ofi fluid for maintaining uniform temperature, a circuit, and

means to make and break said circuit, of

mechanism having a continuously driven friction Wheel, a frame shiftable .toward and away from said wheel, said valve connected thereto, friction disks on said frame shiftable in direction of their axes, an actuating shaft on said frame geared to said disks, and a tapped portion and screw-being engaged by said actuating shaft to shift said frame in opposite directions to actuate said valve; said disks bein set by the making and breaking of sai circuit to engage one or the other thereof withsaid wheel for operating the mechanism ,in opposite directions to open and close said valve.

17. The combination with a valve for admittin'g and shutting off fluid for maintaining uniform temperature, a circuit, an d means to make and break said circuit, of mechanism havin a continuously driven wheel, a shiftable framd said valve connected thereto, shiftable wheels on said frame to engage with saidformer wheel, an actuating shaft on said frame geared to said shiftable wheels, and a. tapped portion and e vb ng e ge by r at en' f ai as? tuatiiig shaft to s ift said frame to actuate said valve; said shiftable wheels being set by the making and breakin of said circuit to engage one or the other t ereof with said former wheel for operating the mechanism in opposite directions to open and close said valve.

18. The combination with a valve foradmittingand shutting off fluid for maintaining uniform temperature, a circuit, and means to make and break said circuit, of mechanism having a continuously driven wheel, a shiftable frame, said valve connected thereto, shiftable wheels on said frame to engage with said former wheel, an actuating s aft on said frame geared to said shiftable wheels, and a tapped portion and screw being engaged by rotation of said actuating shaft to shift said frame to actuate said valve; said shiftable wheels being set by the making and breakin of said circuit to engage one or the other t ereof with said former wheel for operating the mechanism in opposite directions to open and close said valve, and means to disengage said shiftable wheels from said former wheel for stopping the operation of the mechanism when said valve is set.

19. The combination with a valve for admitting and shutting off fluid, of. a circuit having thermostatic, means to make and break the circuit, a motor running continuously in the same .direction, mechanism driven thereby for operating said valve, a

i opposite position.

magnetizing coil energized by said circuit operating said mechanism to set said valve in one position, and means to'sto'p' the open ation of said mechanism when said valve is set by said coil while it continues to be engized-g a 1 20. The combination with a hot ,andcold duct, and a valve for shutting and opening said hot or .cold duct, of a circuit having thermostatic means to make and break the circuit, a motor running continuously in the same 'd1rect10n, mechamsm driven thereby belng operated by means n said circult to be I driven in one direction to set said valve in one position when the circuit is closed, and a spring 1n said mech'amsm actuating it when the circuit is broken to be driven in an opposite direction to set said valve in its 21. A temperature regulator having the Q combination witha circuit, a thermostat to make and break the circuit, a solenoid, a hot duct, a cold duct, and a valve for said ducts,

of mechanism to operate said valve including a continually driven shaft, a friction wheel, avworm and. wheel driven by said shaft driving said friction wheel, a frame shiftable toward and away from said ,friction wheel, friction disks on said frame mounted to shift in direction of their axes, an intermediate shaft on said frame geared I t o'sai'd friction disks, an ahtuatiii'g shaft for said" frame, a worm and wheel driven by said intermediate shaft driving said actuating shaft, a tapped portion and screw being engaged-by rotation of said actuating shaft to shift said frame in opposite directions, said valve connected to said frame, said so- .lenoid fixed to said frame having its core connected to said disks, a spring pressing when said circuit is broken to engage one of said disks with said friction wheel to operate said mechanism to set said valve in one position, and said solenoid when energized by said thermostat closing its circuit engaging the other of said disks with said wheel to reverse the mechanism and to set said valve oppositely; of a beveled cam-piece striking said pressed disk to disengage it from said friction wheel and stop the mechanism when said valve is set, a lever pivoted on said frame, and a fixed arm striking said lever and pressing it against the other of said disks to disengage it from said friction wheel and stop the mechanism when said valve is set oppositely.

22. A temperature regulator having the combination with a circuit, a thermostat to make and break said circuit, a' Solenoid, a hot duct, a cold duct, and a valve for said ducts, of mechanism to operate said valve including a continually driven shaft, a friction wheel, a worm and wheel driven by said shaft driving said friction wheel, frictiondisks on said frame mounted to shift in direction of their axes, an intermediate shaft on said frame geared to said friction-disks,

an actuating shaft for said 'frame, a worm and wheel driven by said intermediate shaft driving said actuating shaft, a tapped portion and screw being engaged by said actuating shaft to shift said frame in opposite directions, said valve connected to said frame, a spring pressing when said circuit is broken to engage one of said disks with said friction wheel to operate said mechanism to set said valve in one position, said solenoid when energized by said thermostat closing its circuit engaging'the other of said disks with said wheel to reverse the mecha nism and to set said valve oppositely, and means to disengage said disks from said wheel for'stopping the operation of said mechanism when said valve is set.

23. The combination'with a valve for admitting and shutting off fluid, of a circuit break the'circuit, a shaft driven .continuously 1n the same dlrection, mechanism means for stopping the operation of said mechanism when said valve is set bv the closing of said circuit while said circuit continues to be closed. i

24:. The combination with a valve for admitting and shutting oif fluid for maintaining uniform temperature, of mechanism including a continuously driven wheel, a shiftable frame, said valve connected thereto,

- shiftable wheels on said frame to engage with said other wheel, an actuating shaftfor said frame geared to said shiftable wheels. for shifting said frame to actuate said valve, F means to set said shiftable wheels to engage I one or the other thereof with said former j wheel for operating the mechanism in='opposite directions to open or close said valve, and means todisengage-said shiftable wheels from said former wheel for stopping the. op-- 3 eration of the mechanism when said valve is set. having thermostatic means to make and Signed at the city of New York, in the g county of New York, and State of New York, this 25th day of January, A. D. 1913'. driven thereby being operated by means in i said circuit to set said valve in one position when said circuit is closed, means reversing said mechanism when said circuit is broken I to set said valve in its opposite position, and

H FRANK A. K UNTZ Witnesses:' CHAS. W. LE RUE,

B. ROMAN. i 

